Recovery-promoting Care as Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness and Substance Misuse

This paper explores recovery-promoting care as experienced by persons with concomitant severe mental illness and substance misuse. Sixteen in-depth interviews, based on an interview guide concerning their experiences of health, life situation and care, were held with eight participants in an outpatient treatment programme. The analysis aimed to identify themes reflecting the diversity and complexity of the phenomenon recovery-promoting care. Six themes emerged: "entirety", "participation and reciprocal relations", "stability", "symptom control", "mindfulness", and "dignity and autonomy". The participants reported that care conveying experiences of meaningfulness and providing empowerment increased their motivation and their capacity to take an active part in the recovery process. The findings of the study underscore the importance of incorporating the patients' perspectives on what promotes recovery when offering mental health services